Do people rave about your macaroni and cheese when they come over for dinner? Have you spent hours in the kitchen perfecting the right combination of cheeses? Do you have a bread crumb/ cracker topping that’s just to die for?
Well, you might want to consider testing your recipe against other home cooks for the right to be named New Hampshire’s grand champion of macaroni and cheese.
New Hampshire’s own Macaroni and Cheese Bake Off is coming up next month and Granite State Dairy Promotion is looking for people to sign up. And if you do so before Dec. 14 (that’s next Wednesday), you get free cheese from Cabot.
The bake off is Jan. 14 at the Holiday Inn (we’ll have more about the specifics about the event when it gets closer) and there’s several categories to enter.
For all the home cooks out there, you can enter one of three categories – Best Traditional Mac, Best Creative/Exotic Mac and Best N.H. Made Mac, where the dairy ingredients used must be made in the Granite State. There’s also a People’s Choice Award (open to any and all entrants) and Best Restaurant division, where restaurants and catering companies can compete. The top three in each category will receive a trophy.
The winner in each category, including People’s Choice, will move on for a chance to be named 2017 Grand Champion of Macaroni and Cheese. Sounds like a pretty impressive title to win.
There is a $10 non-refundable entry fee and each entry must include: a completed online registration form; named recipe, including all ingredients and their exact U.S. measurements or weights; complete preparation and cooking instructions.
Every competitor should make enough macaroni and cheese to serve 2 ounce portions to 250 people, which equates to about two extra-large chafing pans – you know, the ones they use in restaurants. Your macaroni and cheese will be judged on flavor, texture, cheesiness, creaminess and overall appearance.
Registration is open through Jan. 9, so even if you don’t have a knock your socks off kind of recipe, there’s still time to come up with one. You just won’t get the free cheese if you register after Dec. 14.
The bake off will be held Jan. 14, from 1 to 4 p.m.
For more, visit nhdairypromo.org/2017-macaroni-cheese-bake-off-registration.
Insider staff
